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An Important Document 



The Original First Draught of the Meck- 
lenburg Declaration 



RECENTLY BROUGHT TO LIGHT 



A Copy in the Possession of the North Carolina 
Historical Commission 



The following is a copy of the first draught of the Mecklenburg 
Declaration of May 20th, written by Col. John McKnitt Alexander. 
The original document was in the keeping of Gov. David L. Swain, 
when he was President of the University of North Carolina, and 
lie had it carefully copied -for the historian, George Bancroft, which 
copy W. H. Hoyt reproduced in his excellent work : "The Meck- 
lenburg Declaration of Independence," from which this is now taken. 
The existence of this document has not been known in North Caro- 
lina until recently. 

The original document in the hand writing of John McKnitt 
Alexander was found after his death in 1817 by his son and de- 
posited with Gov. Swain ; since Gov. Swain's death it has been 
misplaced. This is the first publication of it in North Carolina, and 
it is virtually an unknown paper. 



1775. 



On the 19th May 1775 Pursuant to the Order of Col. Adam Alex- 
ander to each Captain of Militia in his reigment of Mecklenburg 
County, to elect nominate and appoint 2 persons of their Militia 
company, cloathed with ample powers to devise ways&means to ex 
tricate themselves and ward off the dreadfull impending storm 
bursting on them by the British Nation && 

Therefore on sd. 19th May the sd. Committee met in Charlotte 
["own (2 men from each company) Vested with all powers these 
ilicir constituents had or conceived they had &&& 



€zi5 
3 

After a short conference about their suffering- brethren beseigecl 
and suffering every hardship in Boston and the American Blood 
running in Lexington &&& the Electrical fire flew into every breast 
and to preserve order choose Abraham Alex Esquire chairman& 
J.McK.A. Secretary. After a few Hour free discussion in order 
to give relief to suffering America and protect our Just &natural 
right 

1st. We (the County) by a Solemn and awfull vote. Dissolved 

our allegiance to King George & the British Nation. 
2d. Declared our selves a free & independent people, having a 
right and capable to govern ourselves (as a part of North 
Carolina). 
3d. In order to have laws as a rule of life — for our future Gov- 
ernment We formed a Code of laws, by adopting our 
former wholesome laws. 
4th. And as there was then no officers civil or Millitary in our 
County 

We Decreed that every Militia officer in sd. county should 
hold and occupy his former commission and Grade 

And that every member present, of this Committee shall 
henceforth (torn) as a Justice of the Peace (in 
the) Character of a Committee M 
The original ' lear am ' determine all Controversies 

is torn here . agreeable to sd. laws — peace 

at all the Union & harmony in sd. County — to use everj 

anks - spread the Electrial fire of freedom 

among ourselves & u 
~>th.&& many laws & ordinances were then ma 
after sitting up in the Court house all night — neither 

After reading and maturing every paragraph they were all passed 
X'em-Con about 12 O'clock May 20 18o 177."). 

But in a few days (after cooling) a considerable part of sd. 
Comittee Men conveened and employed Capt James Jack (of 
Charlotte) to go express to Congress (then in Philadelphia) with 
a Copy of all sd. resolutions and laws & a letter to our :$ members 
there, Richd. Caswell, Wm. Hooper & Joseph Hughes in order to 
get Congress to sanction or approve them &&&&& 

Capt Jack returned with a long, full, complasent letter from sd. 
3 members, recommending our zeal perseverance order & forbear- 
ance &** — {We were premature) Congress never had our sd. laws 
on their table for discussio)i, though sd. Copy was left with them by 
Capt. Jack 






^. B. about i«s; Doctor Hugh Williamson (then of New York; 
but formerly was member of Congress from this 

State) applied 
The original above by Col Win. Polk, who was then compiling a 
ls 1cre in order to prove that the American people 

in the Revolution and that Congress were com 
N. B. allowing the L9th May to be a rash .let 

The original effects in binding all the middle & wesl 

is here firm whigs — no torys but 

*' ,rn not fully represented in the first 

There is a second page about matters in Charlotte in the fall of 
L780, &c, and he further wrote: 

These severe jusi — tho arbitrary measures were the Cause of peace 
(torn) the Comity until] the fall of 1777 when our first (torn) 
vmbly met in Newbern in the State of North Carolina and con- 
firmed (torn) proved nearly all that was done. New State com- 
amissions then issued & (torn) fheers as they yet do— see the laws 
< if sd. session of 1777 

(torn) & Foregoing extracted from the old minutes && 
By J. McK. Alexander 

There is then some addition, ending ■ 

And soon afterwards we smelt and felt the Blood & carnage oi 
Lexington which raised all the passions into fury and revenge which 
Was the immediate cause of adjuring great britain on May 19 Is 
L775, April 10 177."> wa the battle of Lexington. 

The above first draught of the Mecklenburg Declaration written in 
IS00 by Col Alexander was found after his death along with a com- 
pleted draught in another handwriting, which was the same as the 
copy sent to General Davie by Col Alexander, and to which was 
attached the following certificate: 

It may be worthy of notice here to observe that the foregoing 
Statement, though fundamentally correct, yet may not literally Cor- 
respond with the original record of the transactions of said delega 
lion and court of enquiry, as all those records and papers were 
burnt with the bouse on April 6th, 1800; but previous to that time 
of 1800, a full copy of said records, at the request of Doctor Hugh 
Williamson, then of New York, but formerly a representative in 
Congress from this State, was forwarded to him by Col Win Polk, 
in order that those earlj transactions might fill their proper place 
in a history of [his State then writing by said Doctor Williamson in 
New York. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



011 699 955 9 • 

Certified to the best of my recollection and belief, this 3d. day of 
September 1800 by 

J. McK. Alexander 
Mecklenburg County N. C. 

In 1819 the completed draught was first published; but the certifi- 
cate was not then published ; nor was the incomplete first draught 
then published, although it was mentioned. Although both draught- 
were written after the fire in 1800, as that fact was not mentioned 
it was supposed that the narrative was copied from the records and 
book and that it was a copy of the genuine Declaration. 

But as it was written after the fire in 1800 North Carolina has been 
proudly boasting of a Declaration of Independence written in 1800. 

A comparison of the skeleton resolves in the above with the Re- 
solves of May 31st, 1775, published in the newspapers of New Bern. 
Wilmington and Charleston in June, 1773, shows an agreement and 
corresponding sequence of subject matter that indicates that Col. 
Alexander had the Resolves of May 31 in mind and sought to re- 
produce them. Further; on reading the first and second sentence-:- 
of bis statement, it is evident that he was inadvertent as to dates. 

Apparently he started out to say that the election was held on the 
19th. Then he says that the men chosen at the election met at Char- 
lotte on the :19th. There was some confusion of ideas. That the 
new committee was in session on May 31 admits of no question, for 
their published proceedings read : 

"Charlotte Town, Mecklenburg County May 31 
"This Day the Committee met, and passed the following RE- 
SOLVES'.—'' 

( Mere follows the genuine Declaration of Independence.) 
"Signed by Order of the Committee 

Eph. Brevard 

Note. — See copy of the North Carolina Gazette (printed at New 
Bern,) June L6, 177.".. in the Hall of History. 

Note 2. — As Col. Alexander was writing in the year 1800, at two 
places in the above he began to write 1800: in the first place he wrote 
'.May 20 180" and in the other, he wrote "May 19 18," and then In- 
corrected himself, changing the year in each case to "1775." 

In view of the fact that the foregoing statement, written by Col. 
Alexander in 1800, is the first draft of the Declaration of May 20. 
1775, and of the further fact that the only official record of action 
taken in Mecklenburg County is the document of May 31, 1775, we. 
the undersigned, respectfully memorialize the General Assembly 
of North Carolina and petition that it change the date on the Flag 
and the Great Seal of the State from May 20, 1775, to May 31, 177.V 

A mistake should be corrected when known and shduld not be 
persisted in. 

S. A. ASHK. 
STEPHEN B. WEEKS. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




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